From Rags to K-pop: The Korean Human Resource Story

Catalog description

How did one of the poorest post-war nations transform into a leading economic and soft power, home to K-pop and K-dramas? This course explores the answer by focusing on South Korea’s most vital resource: its people. Through readings, videos, and an immersive learning experience in Seoul, students will gain a deep understanding of the relationship between a nation's people, culture, and progress. The course begins at the War Memorial of Korea to trace the nation's rise from post-war devastation. Corporate site visits and guest lectures will provide first-hand experience of early and current Korean human resource (HR) policies, which fueled growth through labor-intensive manufacturing and exports, creating the powerful chaebols (family-controlled conglomerates). Students will assess how these principles were applied to the entertainment industry and culture, contributing to the rise of K-pop, through site visits and analyses of their favorite artists. Finally, the class will examine Korea’s plunging birth rate, a direct threat to its human resources. Students will interview local Koreans to discuss the social impact of K-pop and evaluate the generalizability of the K-pop model to their home culture. This course will be offered in January-Term 2026. This course will be taught in Korea and will count as an Away J-Term course.